Viburnum plant named ‘SMVCB’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Viburnum  plant named ‘SMVCB’, characterized by its compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; large inflorescences with numerous fragrant light pink to white-colored flowers; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Viburnum carlesii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMVCB’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Viburnum plant, botanically known as Viburnum carlesii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SMVCB’.

The new Viburnum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new compact Viburnum plants with unique and attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Viburnum plant originated from an open-pollination during the summer of 2006 of Viburnum carlesii ‘Compactum’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Viburnum carlesii as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Viburnum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2009 as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new Viburnum plant by softwood cuttings in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since June, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Viburnum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Viburnum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SMVCB’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SMVCB’ as a new and distinct Viburnum plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant         habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Large inflorescences with numerous fragrant light pink to         white-colored flowers.     -   5. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Viburnum can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Compactum’. Plants of the new Viburnum differ from plants of ‘Compactum’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Viburnum are easier to root and grow than         plants of ‘Compactum’.     -   2. Plants of the new Viburnum are more uniform and have better         container performance than plants of ‘Compactum’.

Plants of the new Viburnum can be compared to plants of the Viburnum carlesii ‘Spiro’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,251. Plants of the new Viburnum differ from plants of ‘Spiro’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Viburnum are more compact than plants of         ‘Spiro’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Viburnum are not as fragrant as         flowers of plants of ‘Spiro’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Viburnum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Viburnum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘SMVCB’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘SMVCB’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants of the new Viburnum grown in ground beds and one-gallon containers during the summer in an outdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Viburnum production. Plants were one year old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Viburnum carlesii ‘SMVCB’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Viburnum carlesii ‘Compactum’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Viburnum             carlesii, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 40 days at 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About six             months at 24° C.         -   Root description.—Fine to thick; white and brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Deciduous perennial shrub; compact,             upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit;             vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with numerous             primary lateral branches developing per plant; pinching             (removal of terminal apices) will enhance lateral branch             development.         -   Plant height.—About 45 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 45 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 35 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 8.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Erect to about 20° from vertical.         -   Color.—Close to 199A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 12 cm.         -   Width.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Dentate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 148C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,             close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 148B; venation, close to 145A.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 146D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Single salverform flowers             arranged in terminal cymes; freely flowering habit with             usually about 79 flowers per inflorescence; flowers face             upright to outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering commences in the early             spring in Michigan; flowers last about two to four weeks on             the plant and about two weeks as a cut flower; flowers not             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; sweet, pleasant.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 7 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Club-shaped. Color: Close to 155D and 63C.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five petals in a single whorl.             Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 5 mm. Lobe shape: Rounded.             Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 155D flushed with close to 63C.             Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five sepals in a single whorl.             Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly             lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close to 137A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About             five. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther size: About 0.5 mm by             1 mm. Anther color: Close to 2B. Amount of pollen: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 2B.         -   Gynoecium.—Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             1 mm. Style length: About 0.5 mm. Style color: Close to             144A. Stigma shape: Obtuse. Stigma color: Close to 144A.             Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Fruits.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Texture:             Smooth. Color: Close to 59A. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Viburnum have been observed to     have good garden and container performance and to tolerate rain,     wind and temperatures ranging from about −10° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Viburnum have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Viburnum     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Viburnum plant named ‘SMVCB’ as illustrated and described. 